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A Walk in the Field, Late August (8-30-11)

I headed out to the back fields today, before the day got too hot. As I picked up my straw hat and plopped it on my head Ginger got all excited, her eyes riveted to my every move. Her whole body tensed and ready to run out the door, as she knows this means we’re going out. Now…when I have my sketch bag in hand and pick up my camera and sling it over my shoulder she knows we’re in for it! The ‘Big Walk’ hahaha…well it means we’re leaving the yard and going out to the ‘wilds’ of the fields and lanes. Yes, if I was a dog I’d be acting just like her!

Ginger waits expectantly!

As I walked I was VERY mindful of watching out for the huge yellow garden spiders that I discovered in my overgrown field, I didn’t want to walk through one of their webs! I’ll show you pictures in another post! Every step I took about three grasshoppers or more would fly up and over the grass for a short bit then land again. As I studied them I laughed to see when they landed, many times they did a sort of “moonwalk” backwards down the stalk they were clinging to.

Red Legged Grasshopper I think

If you stop to study them close, using the zoom lens on a camera is a great way, you’ll notice how many different varieties there are. I am guessing some of the many types may just be different ages of the same grasshopper, or males and females, all were really interesting.

Fat Yellow Grasshopper

Most had some kind of interesting pattern and colors that I’d like to do some studies of someday. First I need to start identifying them better, my field guide to insects is woefully lacking in species of many insects, grasshoppers included.

Nat. Wildlife Fed. Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America

Nat. Wildlife Fed. Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America

Though it’s not a bad all round guide to start with, I find now I need much more species to choose from.

Long Lane Farm in August - watercolor

Well as I got out into the field a ways, I paused and looked back and this is what I saw. The Purple Loosestrife was blooming, clouds billowing, wildflowers dotting the field. I did this small watercolor using one waterbrush and my pan of colors, while standing in some very hot sun. It was really hard to find any shade and it made me a little ‘snow blind’ looking at my page.

A tiny Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly

After that Ginger and I made for the lane for a bit more shade. I’ve been noticing this tiny butterfly now sometimes when I walk on the lane. It first caught my attention flitting around the grasses and I thought it was one of those tiny white moths I always see. (It’s only as big as the end of my thumb!) There was something about it though, it seemed to have a bluish look too. So I followed it with my eyes to see where it landed then zoomed in with my camera and there you go! Ahha! A butterfly. Just one of my little discoveries this summer.

He shows a peek of blue wing

They don’t give up much, this tiny, tiny butterfly hardly ever opens it’s wings to show off it’s gorgeous blue!

Hummingbird Moth feeding on Teasel

 I couldn’t resist slipping this picture in to share. I have a great big area behind my barn that’s overgrown now with Teasel. I found the Monarch and Viceroy butterflies, and to my delight Hummingbird moths, loved feeding on them. I would encourage everyone to grow some for them to feed on and for their beauty of form.

Teasel drawn with permanent pen

I love drawing Teasel and long into winter you can enjoy their elegant forms. This is a drawing I did years ago in the fall, (sorry I don’t have it scanned large enough to enlarge much) can you see how much fun you could have looking at it’s bristly but graceful form?

I hope you enjoyed our little walk on Long Lane Farm. I always see or find something new when I stop and look for awhile. I want to point out that I have been adding great links for identifying things on my “Nature Links” page, please have a look. I use these links often when I need to identify bugs or blooms. I’m adding links all the time so everyone can use it, please let me know if you have a favorite you want to share!

Below are a few note cards I created in my shop from my sketches or photos, I hope you enjoy them!

My watercolor sketch
Hummingbird Moth card
Hummingbird Moth
I miss you! sad dog photo card
Awww, who could resist that face?!

2 comments to A Walk in the Field, Late August (8-30-11)

  • Oh that doggy face is adorable! If my German Shorthair Pointer Sarah hears an engine start up she’s off and running. She’s also got the idea it means she can pull off her bandage on her front leg. It’s there because she just won’t stop licking what was a tiny sore and two years later is still there due to licking (she got it so big at one point I almost despaired). She does this routine even if it isn’t a car but just the lawn tractor which isn’t even leaving the yard. She has 40 acres plus to run in but usually stays within the fenced 2 acres unless she hears that engine start up!

    I love, love, love your clouds on your picture. I know what you mean about the white of the paper blinding you. I painted my daughter’s pool on a sunny day and felt blinded. I so wished I’d had a wide brimmed hat to shade me and the paper!

  • Aren’t our dogs so funny? They do have their own hang ups, Ginger won’t leave a lump she has alone either, no fur will grow back on it. I have to tell her not to keep licking her feet too, I mean she’s so good at keeping clean white feet but she gets into this trance and just won’t stop. I pay more attention now since another Australian Shep. owner said his did that and has sores now, he said that breed is high strung that way. I can concur!!
    Thanks so much Timaree for your compliments to my clouds! I’m pretty happy with them because it’s so hard to catch clouds on a windy day with watercolors. I am using this one waterbrush that I’m really liking because it can be juicy wet when you need it, and give me a very fine line if I’m careful. I’ll have to post a picture soon. And I guess I could have worn sunglasses but I hate them when I walk anymore, they get in the way for photography and when I paint I want to see the real colors. A wide brimmed hat can help, mine still wasn’t shading me enough so I tried to paint faster.
    Thanks for stopping by!

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